2013 Hama offensive
For a war map of the current situation in Hama, see here. |date= 25 April 2013 – 15 June 2013 ( ) |place= Hama Governorate, Syria |result= Syrian Army victorySyrian Army frees 13 villages in Hama and operates military campaigns in Latakia.Syrie: l’assaut contre les rebelles de Qousseir entre dans sa 3ème semaine * Rebels temporarily capture 10 villages, including four Alawite onesSyrian Rebels Meet Setbacks on a New Front * Syrian Army captures Halfaya and 20–23 other villages, including most of the ones previously captured by the rebels |combatant1= Syrian National Coalition *Free Syrian Army Sunni jihadists |combatant2= Syrian Government *Syrian Armed Forces |commander1= Kassem Saadeddin |commander2=Unknown |units1=Unknown |units2= 2nd Armoured Division |strength1=Unknown |strength2=2,300 soldiers 1,000 militia }} The 2013 Hama offensive was a military operation launched by Syrian rebels during the Syrian civil war in the eastern part of the province of Hama, in an attempt to open up a new front, after rebel attacks in the governorate had stalled. The rebels managed to capture 10 villages during their offensive. However, the Army soon retaliated and reversed all of the rebels gains, as well as capturing the town of Halfaya, which the rebels captured during their previous offensive, five months earlier. Offensive Opening rebel attacks On April 25, rebel forces launched an attack in Hama city, where heavy clashes erupted for the first time in months as rebels tried to relieve pressure on their forces under attack from government troops elsewhere in the country.Syria rebels launch attack in central Hama after months of calm The next day, clashes occurred in the neighborhood of Tariq Halab between the Army and the rebels. Video footage emerged of several soldiers being burned alive in an armored vehicle.Another deadly day in Syria Army captures Halfaya and rebels advance On 10 May, a cease-fire agreement between government and rebel forces in Halfaya broke down. Heavy shelling of the town started in which 25 people were reportedly killed.Army shelling kills 25 in Syrian town after truce ends Government forces tightened the siege on Halfaya and the town of Aqrab, shutting down communications in the area. The shelling of Halfaya and Aqrab was seen as preparation to storm the towns.Syria's Assad says he won't step down before election, raising new questions about diplomacy On 17 May, rebels captured four Alawite villages in the eastern part of Hama province. The villages were abandoned by its residents days before the rebels arrived. The villages in question were Tulaysiyah, Zoghbe, Shaata and Balil. Their takeover followed several weeks of fighting after which the Army withdrew from the area.Syria rebels seize Alawite villages in Hama: activists On 19 May, the Syrian Army took control of Halfaya after rebel forces retreated from the town. The takeover was reportedly followed with the burning of homes by government troopsHama province 1 and the execution of 15 people by pro-government militias, according to the opposition.Opposition: 15 executed in Halfaya On 23 May, rebels reportedly took control of three more villages in the eastern part of the province.Hama province 2 On 24 May, government forces raided the town of Ma'arzaf,Hama province 3 and two days later captured the village of Rihya.Hama province 4 Army counter-attack On 1 June, after heavy fighting, the Syrian Army recaptured the two Allawite villages of Tulaysiyah and JaninehSyrie: l'armée reprend le contrôle de 2 localités à majorité alouite à HamaSyrische leger herovert twee plaatsen in Hama and on 2 June they recaptured the Allawite village of Zoghbe, after the withdrawal of rebel forces, according to SOHR.Hama province 5 By 3 June, the Army had captured 13 villages in Hama province during their offensive, including the ones captured by the rebels earlier in the operation, according to state TV and SOHR.Syrian Army frees 13 villages in Hama and operates military campaigns in Latakia. According to the Syrian news agency SANA, by 10 June, the Syrian military captured six more villages in eastern Hama.Army Units Eliminate Terrorists, Discover Field Hospital and Tunnel with Weapons in Homs Three days later, the capture of three of those six villages, as well as one other, was confirmed by SOHR.Hama province 6 At dawn on 13 June, rebels seized an Army position on the northern edge of the town of Morek, in fighting that killed six soldiers and two rebels. Later in the day, the Army shelled the base and sent reinforcements in an attempt to recapture the post.Syria rebels seize key army positionConfirmed death toll in Syrian conflict nearly 93,000, says UNSyrian rebels fight for key army base On 14 June, fighting took place in the village of Um Meil, to the east of Al-Salamiyah, with the Army capturing the village.Hama province 7 The next day, after fierce fighting, the Syrian Army took control of the towns of Rasm al-Abd and Rasm al-Awabed,Hama province 8 southeast of Al-Salamiyah.The Army seizes control of towns in Eastern Ghouta, Aleppo and Hama Countryside Aftermath On 7 July, the Syrian Army captured the town of Hayalein.Hama province 9 References Category:Syrian Civil War